Model of the Perth now on display at McManus

Arabian Peninsula. In June 1916, she helped bombard the Turkish garrison at the port of Jeddah. The garrison surrendered the next day and — inspired by this victory — the Arabs rose up in a revolt against Turkish rule led by Prince Feisal and T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia.

“On her way home in 1918, Perth was looking after a convoy in the Bay of Biscay when they were attacked by a German U-boat.

The sub was on the surface and was commanded by one of their best officers but Perth fought back. A gun battle ensued and the Germans realised the Perth wasn’t going to give up. The U-boat submerged and fled, but two shells had struck the Perth and two of her crew were dead.”

Returned to her owners in Dundee in 1919, Perth took up her intended duties taking passengers and cargo between the Tay and Thames — she sailed from Dundee every Saturday and left London every Wednesday until she was once again called up for war service in 1940.

Dr Jeffrey said: “This time she served as a rescue ship sailing with the North Atlantic convoys. By the end of the war she had rescued 455 Allied seamen and airmen.

“On one occasion south of Greenland, Perth was driven hard against the hull of a fiercely burning, petrol-laden tanker. The heat from the flames was intense and the tanker threatened to explode at any moment, but Perth’s crew snatched 57 of its crew from certain death.

“Perth was also fitted with top secret high-frequency direction-finding radio equipment that allowed her to locate U-boats which could then be attacked by corvettes and destroyers. Many hundreds of lives were saved as a direct result.” Returned to the DP&L in 1946, Perth was by then rather old and illsuited to post-war transport needs. She was sold to the Falkland Islands Company, which operated her to South America with passengers and general cargo and back to the UK with cargoes of wool. Sold on to Italian owners in 1950 and renamed Valfiorita, she operated in the Mediterranean until 1962 when she went for scrap. All that is now left of the Perth is her memory, and the model, which was lovingly renovated by conservator Rebecca Jackson-Hunt before being displayed. But she’s worth remembering. She was built to carry people and cargo, but she fought two world wars far from home and saved hundreds of lives.